The present invention relates to an apparatus for slicing a boneless cut of meat. More specifically, the invention relates to a skewer used to support a boneless cut of meat on a spiral meat slicer. The skewer has a slot therethrough which allows the meat product to be cut with a knife or other cutting blade while the skewer is inserted into the meat.
There are a number of devices available for spiral slicing boneless cuts of meat. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,635 and 5,030,472 to Logan, Jr. et al., issued in April of 1989, and July of 1991, respectively, both of which are incorporated herein by reference disclose meat slicing apparatus for spiral slicing boneless cuts of meat. The Logan patents disclose a meat slicing apparatus that includes a meat spit between and upper and lower chucks to support the boneless cut of meat. When the meat rotates, the slicing blade is moved into slicing engagement with the meat. The blade moves vertically as the meat rotates to create the spiral slice. When slicing is complete, a central uncut core will remain around the spit. The central core allows the spiral sliced meat product to hold its shape and prevents the slices from separating from one another.
Another spiral slicing apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,543 to Brothers, issued Oct. 12, 1993, the details of which are incorporated herein by reference. That patent discloses a spiral slicing means that has an accessory adapted to be utilized with various spiral slicing machines. The accessory essentially comprises a skewer having a base and a movable stop member.
Although the apparatus in the aforementioned patents work well, it is sometimes desirable to cut the spiral sliced meat product into two separate halves. When doing so, it is desirable to cut the product into halves through the uncut center core so that the slices in each half will not separate from one another, and each half will maintain an aesthetically pleasing shape. None of the known apparatus disclose a method by which it can be insured that the sliced meat product can be cut precisely through the center core so that each half will have an uncut portion that holds the slices together and allows each half to maintain its shape. The present invention solves that problem.
The present invention is directed to a skewer apparatus which can be utilized with a wide variety of spiral meat slicers. The invention provides a method and apparatus for cutting a spiral sliced meat product into halves and insuring that the meat product is cut through the unsliced center core that will exist after the product has been spiral sliced.
The invention includes a skewer assembly comprised of a base and a skewer connected to and extending from the base. The skewer has a lower end portion, a body portion and an upper end portion. The upper end portion is preferably tapered to a point so that it can be easily inserted into a boneless meat product. The lower end is received and is connected to the base. The body portion has a length, and has a slot disposed therethrough for at least a portion of the length of the body portion. The slot is adapted to receive a knife or other cutting blade.
The operation of the invention simply comprises inserting an end of the skewer into a lower end of the meat product until the upper end portion of the skewer is exposed through the upper end of the meat product. The skewer must be inserted such that a portion of the slot is exposed at an end thereof, and preferably at the upper end of the meat product. The skewer assembly can then be placed on a spiral meat slicing apparatus. Once the boneless meat product is sliced, it can be removed from the apparatus and a knife or other cutting blade can be inserted into the exposed portion of the slot while the skewer is still inserted in the meat product. The knife can be moved along the length of the slot so that it will cut the meat product into halves. The cut will be through the unsliced center portion of the meat product since the cut will be made by the knife through the skewer. This insures that the two halves of the meat product will have an uncut portion which will hold the slices in each half together to provide not only for an aesthetically pleasing appearance but also for easier packaging.